'I was handcuffed to a bench for 17 hours' - Chicago black site ex-detainee
US undocumented interrogation facilities, operated by the federal and state governments, should be exposed, Brian Church, a former detainee at the Homan Square "black site" in Chicago, told Sputnik.
“These off-the-book sites the federal and state governments are operating need to be exposed,” Church said. “No doubt, there are other similar secret locations they take people all across the country and world. Look at Guantanamo Bay.”
Church was detained in Chicago in May of 2012, taken to Homan Square for interrogation. He said he was held for 17 hours handcuffed to a bench without access to a lawyer.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see the light of day again,” Church said. “I was handcuffed to a bench for 17 hours without an ability to contact a lawyer, fed only twice, and could only use the bathroom twice.”
Church was the source who disclosed information about the Homan Square – secret police interrogation site in Chicago.
“I don’t want to see others go through this, because I know others who have had it worse than me. I know some have come out, and one I know was handcuffed for two days to the bench, and couldn’t contact anyone.”
The Chicago police department (CPD) reportedly operates a secret interrogation compound, similar to the US Central Intelligence Agency's black sites, at the Homan Square warehouse. Civil rights demonstrators have taken to the streets of Chicago and other US cities this week to protest the alleged CPD activities.
Church came up to Chicago in May of 2012 to protest the NATO summit with two friends. When they were pushed into creating Molotov cocktails by the undercover policemen, they were quickly raided, and taken to Homan Square.
“We had never talked about making Molotov cocktails. They were pushing us pretty hard,” Church stressed.
The former detainee said he is currently on parole, and he is not allowed to return to Florida as of yet because of a missing document the state of Florida needs. He said he’s been looking for work, but mainly trying to keep a low profile.
“My lawyer had to come find me, and I was then allowed to speak to one. They then moved us to an actual police station, and we were booked on conspiracy to commit terrorism and other arson-related charges,” he said.
“Even if recognized, I could be stopped and frisked,” Church said. “Cops carry guns, and the situation could be fatal.”
Politicians in the United States should pay more attention to human rights violations amid reports about undocumented interrogation sites, Church said.
“I want to see politicians we put into office to listen to people they are supposed to be serving and not be out for themselves,” Church said. “They are ignoring things going on, and making the United States worse than before 9/11. I want to see them do the right thing for once.”
“We label ourselves the bearer of freedom and justice across the globe,” the whistleblower said. “Homan Square shows the reality of what Americans face against their government.”
“I decided to speak because I was always raised to have patriotic feelings towards my country,” he said. “I don’t want to see this happen anymore.”
Sputnik inquired to the city police department about these demands on Thursday, and the CPD sent back the Homan Fact Sheet, which contains facts about Homan and quotes from positive stories written about the site. Before, the police said in a statement they were abiding by all laws, rules, and regulations.
US Congressman Danny Davis told Sputnik on Thursday that “every stone needs to be overturned” to find out what has been going on in Chicago.